Patriots add former Steelers starting tackle in pre-free agency signing

Oct 30, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (76) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive tackle – both on the left and right side – projects as one of the New England Patriots’ biggest needs heading into NFL free agency, which officially starts next week. However, the team isn’t waiting until the ‘legal tampering period’ begins on Monday to start making additions at that spot.
Thursday evening, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report that the Patriots have signed former Pittsburgh Steelers starting tackle Chukwuma Okorafor. The details of the contract were not initially reported.
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Okorafor, 26, was eligible to sign before the start of free agency because he is not coming off of an expiring contract. The Steelers released him in late February, making him a street free agent. That erased the back end of a three-year, $29.95 million contract extension he signed with the team in March of 2022.
The Steelers originally drafted Okorafor in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan. He played in 77 games for them making 59 starts. At 6-foot-6, 320 pounds he played right tackle almost exclusively.
Last year, Okorafor played in 14 games with seven starts. He allowed 11 pressures and two sacks in 272 pass blocking snaps, and was penalized eight times in 436 snaps overall.
While Okorafor does profile as a potential starting right tackle, his signing is not expected to impact the Patriots’ approach in retaining last year’s starter at that position, Michael Onwenu. According to Mark Daniels of MassLive, Okorafor’s signing is “independent of the Michael Onwenu situation.”
Even if the Patriots do retain Onwenu – who mostly played guard during his initial tenure in New England – tackle depth is still a major need for the team. Prior to adding Okorafor the team’s only tackles under contract for 2024 were Calvin Anderson, Vederian Lowe, Conor McDermott, and Andrew Stueber (on a futures contract).
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